$32M verdict against Domino’s for driver’s collision

As reported by the Southeast Texas Record, a Texas jury found Domino’s Pizza to be the negligent party in a delivery boy’s fatal collision, serving up a $32 million dollar verdict against the pizza chain.

According to the plaintiff’s petition, on Aug. 11, 2012, the Christophers were traveling on S. Major Drive in Beaumont when Balka, a Domino’s employee, crossed the center lane and struck their car head-on. Ruth, 65, sustained injuries and died the next day while Devavram, 70, sustained a permanent traumatic brain injury and was left with no positive cognitive function.The case went to trial Aug. 12 in Judge Bob Wortham’s 58th District Court and ended Aug. 27.

In a press release from the plaintiffs’ attorney at the Provost Umphrey Law Firm, the cause of the accident was later determined to be the “defective, worn tires on the delivery vehicle, one of which was without any tread.” “The delivery driver, rushing to meet Dominos Pizza’s internal 30-minute delivery rule, was also cited for Failure to Control Speed,” the press release states.

Jurors found all three defendant parties, Balka, Domino’s and Mac Pizza, to be negligent in causing the collision, assigning 60 percent of the blame to Domino’s.

“We learned that Dominos has a very broad, undefined corporate policy that delivery drivers’ vehicles should be inspected,” said Provost Umphrey attorney Paul Ferguson in a press release. “However, Dominos does not enforce this policy with their franchises, and that led to the accident that took the life of Ruth Christopher and permanently disabled Devavaram Christopher. We also learned that Domino’s enforces a tragically unsafe delivery method by providing bonuses and other incentives for fast delivery.”
Jurors further found that Balka was operating a vehicle in the furtherance of a mission for the benefit of Domino’s.

A total of $32,154,506 in damages was awarded by the jury, which includes damages for mental anguish, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, medical expenses, impairment and disfigurement, the charge states.
In court documents, Domino’s asserted a general denial and argued that a third party negligently rotated Balka’s tires. Balka’s worn right tire and wet road caused him to hydroplane into the vehicle, the defendants argued.
The $32 million awarded is strictly actual damages, with no punitive damages included, according to Ferguson.
“It is believed to be one of, if not the, largest actual damages verdict ever returned against Dominos Pizza,” Ferguson stated.